Friends to the End
by T. F. Crosby
Summary: Or... "The first time Gil punched Harry and other short tales." There are some occurrences that are never to be spoken of. What happens on the Isle, stays on the Isle. Especially if it's embarrassing. Sea3. K rating for now.
1. Love Tap

_This is a filler series of shorts (mostly humor) revolving around our beloved Sea3 that have popped into my head and don't fit into either of my two other stories. Not that they couldn't have occurred during the course of those stories, they're just better left on their own. Since I have a few already written and they're fairly short, they'll make for good fill-in while I work on the next chapters for my other to stories (one of which will be rather long). That and I really wanted to post something since the other two are taking me forever to finish._

 _Hope you enjoy._

 **Friends to the End**

 **Or**

 **The First Time Gil Punched Harry and Other Short Tales**

1\. Love Tap

For the first time in ages, Gil was in a bad mood. He was unsure if he had ever been in a bad mood around Harry and Uma. It was possible, but if he had been, it had occurred a long time ago. He had been on the verge of walking out many times throughout the day. However, he never did and couldn't figure out what was stopping him from doing so. No one would have stopped him if he did. He had been his usual self that morning when he first walked into Ursula's Fish and Chips Shoppe. Now, that was definitely _not_ the case. In some respects, he was downright pissed. The entire crew had been taking shots at him, including Uma and Harry; _especially Harry_. Some of it caused Gil to say something that irritated Uma, but for whatever reason, she didn't have him tossed out. He wished she had. Harry had been in rare form all day and couldn't help himself in commenting on nearly everything the blond said. Gil was ready to punch him.

 _And then, it finally happened_. The one remark, one that would normally go ignored by him, the subtle knock on his intelligence.

Harry, who had been standing quietly in front of him, was now leaning over the table, his face in Gil's, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Gil didn't move at first; but rather, sat quietly, one leg upon the tabletop, and a deadpan expression on his face, contemplating what to do next. There was a number of possibilities: sit there and continue to ignore the pirate (which he usually did); stand up and walk out (which he had never done before); give him the "death glare" (which wouldn't be anything new); actually say something clever in response (which did happen every once in a great while); slam the pirate's head into the table (the first thought to pop into his head); or…

Gil glanced at him, moving only his eyes. Harry was still grinning like an idiot. He removed his leg from the tabletop and slowly stood up, making Harry, now having a curious look on his face, straighten up.

He glared at the pirate. "What? Ye cannae take a joke?" Harry said, the grin returning.

Gil took a deep breath. "Harry?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Aye…. What is - ?"

He never saw it coming. Before he could finish, Gil's fist connected with his jaw, sending the young pirate sprawling into a line of barrels set against the wall. A now woozy Harry looked up at him, rubbing his throbbing jaw.

The blond glared at him. "Shut up." He took his sword from the sword check-in bin and left.

Harry didn't move, feeling rather fortunate that he wasn't decked right into the sword bin. Moreover, he was completely stunned; as was everyone else in the chip shop. Uma walked over and looked down at him. As he continued to rub his jaw, she watched a huge smile began to cross his lips.

"Proud of him, huh?" She said, smiling herself.

He looked up at her. "Aye…." He gritted his teeth as a wave of pain hit. "Ow."

Uma's smile turned into a smirk. "You know that was just a love tap, right?"

Harry sighed heavily. Uma was right about that. If Gil had intended to really hurt him, he probably would've gone right through the wall. All he could reply with was an "Aye."

 **xLOSTREVENGEx**

 _You saw it coming._


	2. How to Play Your Cards Right

_I was going to wait until Wednesday night to post this, but…meh. And the fact that I was pleasantly surprised by the number of reviews I got for the first chapter motivated me to post early. So, here's the next chapter._

2\. How to Play Your Cards Right

What irritated Harry the most about Gil was the fact that the blond had more on _him_ than vice versa. He did do quite a bit of stupid and embarrassing things and somehow, Gil was always around when it occurred. Fortunately, no one else ever was. Well, except for the double-sided, sticky tape incident. That one involved Uma. And though Gil would never say anything, he had no qualms about holding it over her head like some kind of insurance to keep him from being kicked to the curb for good; she knew he would never let her forget it. Which was the biggest reason why the worst either he or Uma would do to Gil was kick him out of the chip shop for a couple hours or so. At least, it was the one reason they would verbally admit to. The other reason, the true reason, was far too personal to speak of, even to each other. But they didn't need to.

Still, Gil enjoyed having those "insurance cards" he could wave in front of them if he felt the reasons for "putting him a time-out" was out-of-line; even though he rarely used them. The blond's personal favorite was the time Harry fell flat on his back while trying to impress Evie. It was embarrassing enough that it happened in front of "his princess," but Gil just _had_ to be a witness and the pirate knew he would never live it down. Evie rushed to his side, concerned, to make sure he was okay, while his "friend" laughed hysterically. Gil would walk away with a good story and all Harry would walk away with was his wounded pride. Well, that and a kiss from his blue-haired princess.

Then there was the time he, being scared by a loud noise, jumped into Gil's arms. Upon seeing the look on the blond's face, he knew that Gil would forever have yet another "one" on him. He quickly jumped out of Gil's arms saying, "this never happened."

Gil smirked. "No idea what yer talkin' about."

Harry growled, fully knowing the meaning behind that statement.

They continued with the errand they were on. Sometime later they were back at the chip shop and back to their usual selves. Harry was in rare form, again, teasing Gil; however, the blond decided it was time to play his "scare card" as he like to call it.

Gil was purposely frowning at the pirate as he leaned into the table, strategically placing his elbows and then his hook in front of the blond. Harry was grinning like the Cheshire cat – or an idiot – for the umpteenth time, believing he once again had won whatever game it was they were apparently playing. He was certain (as Gil assumed) he could get Gil to do or say something that would get him tossed out for an hour or so. But his Cheshire cat smile began to fade when Gil's grin began to appear. He watched with mild uncertainty as the blond boy placed the forefinger of his right hand on to his hook and slowly pushed it down to the table, his grin growing wider. Now Harry knew exactly what Gil was thinking.

"Ye…wouldn't…dare…" He said slowly.

Gil's grin grew wider than Harry thought possible.

"No one would believe ye, anyway," he continued, a little nervous, which he knew Gil could see.

"They don't hafta believe me," Gil began, smugly, "because when I do tell them, you'll be standing right next to me. And they'll all know it's true." The next remark was said slowly and deliberately. "Just by seeing the look on your face."

Harry straightened up. "Well-played, son of Gaston. Well-played."

As Harry walked away, Gil leaned back in his chair, put his feet up onto the table, and placed his hands behind his head, smiling quite smugly.

Harry sauntered over to the counter where Uma was standing on the other side. "He got the better of you, didn't he?" She said, grinning as smugly as Gil was.

The son of Hook grimaced. "Oh, shut up."

Uma laughed and went back to work. Better him than her.

 **xUrsulasFishandChipsShoppex**

 _Once again, Gil gets the better of Harry. And it will happen again. He'll also get the better of Uma as well. I do plan to write "the sticky tape incident." This chapter was intended to be a part of "The Heart of Auradon," but I couldn't make it fit with the story's current course; so here it is._

 _One more thing, I'm planning on going ahead with an idea that popped into my head shortly after Descendants 2 premiered. It's a Gil/Evie story. Yeah, I know, weird. But I thought of it before I discovered ForeverDelighted's "Hooks and Poison Apples" and was sucked into the Hevie universe._

 _One more thing, GIL IS NOT MY FAVORITE! *shifty-eyes shifty-eyes*_


	3. A Kiss Is Still a Kiss

_This one's a bit shorter than the other two. But…I still had fun writing it. Hope you like it._

 **3\. A Kiss Is Still a Kiss**

Gil had lost count of the number of times he had been tossed out of the chip shop for whatever reason. Sometimes he knew why, other times he didn't. This was one of those _other_ times. But being who he was, he took it all with a grain of salt.

This instance, however, he had an idea, and a rather brilliant one at that. An idea that would leave, Uma speechless. Possibly Harry and everyone else in the chip shop, as well.

Gil sauntered over to the would-be sea witch with a maniacal grin plastered on his face. Uma glared at him.

"I'm leavin'," he said. "Just one thing before I go."

"And what's that?" She replied flatly.

Harry was staring at them, intrigued…and munching on clam strips.

The blond leaned into her as if he were going to whisper something to her. He placed his hand under her chin, lifting it up, and before she could react in any way, pressed his lips against hers. It was no simple kiss, nor was it quick. Neither was it devoid of any emotion. There is no part of him that didn't mean it. He had wanted to kiss Uma for some time now, but being who they were…. Not that he was truly interested in her that way. She was more like a bossy, younger sister (kind of like CJ was to Harry) _most of the time._

Gil stepped back, a purposeful deadpan expression on his face. Harry stared, bug-eyed and slack-jawed. And Uma… Uma was frozen, her eyes the size of saucers. Yep, just the reaction he'd pictured. He turned on his heel and walked out of the chip shop, smiling.

Regaining his composure, and after stuffing a few more clam strips into his mouth, Harry turned to a still frozen Uma. "So," he began with a grin, "how was it?"

 **xThePiratesRulex**

 _I'm sure Uma will recover. Eventually._

 _I couldn't resist writing this. I just thought it would be really funny. Hey, if Gil's going to get thrown out, he may as well go with a little style, right?_

 _The next chapter of "Fallen Angel" is almost ready to go. It will a take a little while to type up (even though I use Dragon) since I write all my stories by hand first, and this new chapter is almost twice as long as the first._

 _Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, my lovelies._


	4. Worth It

_[Insert intro here]_

4\. Worth It

Gil just couldn't help himself sometimes. There was a good chance that it would be the death of him. But more often than not, it was worth it. For as much as Harry and Uma loathed his antics, Gil enjoyed them. He would get Uma here and there, usually it was unintentional; however, it was Harry who received the brunt of the blond's mischief.

Uma and Harry had to admit, out loud or not, that the final third of their trio was very good at it.

If there was any one instance of Gil's personal mischief a stood out the most for Harry it was on one particular morning when they were fourteen. Though he had his suspicions, he didn't discover the culprit until two years later, while the trio was hanging around the chip shop making fun of Auradon and reminiscing. Gil chose that moment to confess in his own special way. _Blurting it out_.

Gil stuffed some clam strips into his mouth, grinning at the junior Hook.

"What're ye grinnin' fer?" Harry hissed.

"Remember when you fell asleep in the Jolly Roger's galley and woke up with no eyebrows?" He swallowed his food, his grin turning into a broad smile.

Harry's eyes widened in shock momentarily, the narrowed. He knew it had been Gil, but he could never prove it. And punishing Gil for the "crime" without proof that he was the culprit went against the pirate code (villains or not). But now….

"Gil…" Harry seethed.

The blond swallowed his second helping of clam strips, and grinned. Then bolted out the door, jumping off tables and chairs along the way, with Harry Hook hot on his heels, shouting,

"Get back 'ere, ye sea biscuit!"

 **xH** arry **U** ma **G** il **x**

 _Oh, Gil. You little rascal, you._

 _This is the extent of my "normal" sense of humor._

 _I can get pretty bizarre._

 _You have been warned._


	5. How to Catch an Isle Lion

_Just a note before you start reading. Yes, I realize the Core Four was long gone before the Sea3 won the Lost Revenge. I didn't feel like going back and changing it. So, there. Deal with it. My story. "Nyah."_

 **5\. How to Catch an Isle Lion**

Gil was nowhere to be seen. Not that anyone had gone on any kind of manhunt to find him. He just wasn't in the chip shop. Or the _Lost Revenge_. And he hadn't been all day. There had been no sign of the son of Gaston on this end of the Isle. It wasn't unusual for Gil to disappear from the crew for a spell, but that was usually because he had been "put in a time-out" after irritating Uma. Normally, he would wait on the steps of the chip shop until one of the crew let him back in. If he became too bored, however, he would wander off; but always managed to return by the time Uma had cooled or completely forgotten about what he had done.

This, however, this was different. Gil hadn't been tossed out of the chip shop and merely wandered off; _he never showed up_. That may not have been an issue before they won the _Lost Revenge_ from Captain Hook's fleet, but since the three were reunited, Gil was always there.

Harry scratched his left cheek with his hook. He was positive Gil had been on the ship last night. Possibly that morning…maybe. The pirate wasn't sure.

"Harry!" Uma jolted him out of his thoughts. "Go find Gil."

The junior Hook raised an eyebrow. "Why? He's a big boy. He can take care of himself." Harry would never admit it; but whenever Gil was gone for longer than he felt the blond should be, he did become concerned. And so did Uma; otherwise, she wouldn't be demanding that he go find Gil.

She glared at him. "Fine," he groaned. "I'll go set a trap fer golden boy."

Anyone savvy enough would not raise an eyebrow to the young Hook's comment, even though he meant what he said. No one, not even Uma, Harry or any other crew member, ever actually "found" Gil when they were looking for him. _He found them_. And sometimes… Harry had to trap him. Which wasn't easy. It was like trying to catch a lizard; a very fast, smart lizard. Or a lion. Gil was more like a lion; he especially looked like one when his hair was down. That's what Bonny had said, anyway. He really didn't care about Gil's hair. Or even his own, really.

He scratched his cheek with his hook, looking up at a large, and very climbable, tree, realizing how absurd his previous thoughts were. He also quickly realized he was now on Mal's territory. Just as quickly, he realized, he didn't care. He sized-up the tree, fiddling with his hook and the rope he had absentmindedly picked up and brought with him.

An idea crept into his brain. He rushed back to the chip shop, after telling the tree to wait right where it was. Sometime later, an hour perhaps, Harry returned with a bag in hand. Fortunately, the tree had waited for him, just like it had not said it would.

Harry decided that "ye ole rope-a-dope" trick was the perfect trap for Gil. At least, for this particular time. The classic rope trap usually didn't work on the blond; he always seemed to notice the rope on the ground, no matter how hard the pirate tried to cover it up. Gil would step over it, and he, Harry Hook, would inadvertently step right into it and find himself hanging upside down by his ankle from, usually but not always, a tree. (One might ask why he would set the trap on anything other than a tree. One would not get an answer, but one might ask.)

Halfway through his trap setting, he heard footsteps approaching, followed by a familiar, yet irritating voice.

"What're you doin' on our territory?"

 _Jay_. Harry tried not to gag. They had once been friends. Maybe they still were. Or not. He really didn't care.

"Tryin' tae catch an Isle lion," he replied in a tone that said, 'I don't care about what you think about what I just said.'

"An Isle lion?" This bit of chatter came from the Rotten Four's puppy, Carlos.

"That's what I said," Harry replied.

They went silent for a moment as the pirate put the finishing touches on the trap.

"Do you ever pronounce your T's?" At the ends of words, I mean?" The puppy asked.

Harry glanced at him briefly, then grabbed the bag that he had set next to himself as he worked. He pulled out a plate and laid it near the edge of the rope within the ring. As he pulled out a sandwich and laid it on the plate, Jay spoke.

"Oh, yer tryin' to trap Gil. Now I get it."

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "With a tuna fish sandwich?"

The pirate stood up, dusting himself off. "Aye."

"I thought eggs were his thing."

"Ye'd think that." He paused. "It'll work." He looked at the other two boys. "Now go," he said, pushing them away from the tree. "Gil wilnae come near it if we stay here."

"Wilnae?" Carlos queried to himself as the pirate continued to push them along.

"Didn't you get trapped in your own trap the last time you tried to trap Gil?" Jay questioned, only to annoy Harry since he already knew the answer.

The pirate grumbled.

"How many of your own traps have you been caught in?" Carlos asked.

Harry growled, shoving the two behind some bushes.

The two other boys continued to bombard him with annoying questions finally causing him to yell, "Ah dinnae ken!"

He crouched behind the bushes, seething at the other two – who were grinning like idiots – ready to pounce on both of them, when they heard a loud snap. All three quickly stood up.

"Ha!" Harry shouted. "Told ye it would work!"

The other two looked at each other, shrugged, and followed the pirate back to the tree, where the youngest son of Gaston, was hanging upside down by his left ankle, eating the sandwich.

Harry proudly admired his handiwork.

"Harry actually caught you with a tuna fish sandwich," Carlos said.

"Yep," the blond happily replied, his curly blond locks falling loosely around his head. "It's fresh, too. And the bread's not even moldy. A bit dry, but not moldy."

"Huh. He kinda does look like a lion," Jay observed. "An upside-down lion."

Harry put his arms around Jay's and Carlos's shoulders. "And that, ye scurvy dogs, is how ye catch an Isle lion."

Jay furrowed his brow. "With a tuna sandwich?"

Harry grinned. "Gil will do anythin' fer a tuna fish sandwich."

"Yep," Gil said swallowing a bite. "I'm definitely kinda stupid that way."

 **xCaptainHookIsAwesomex**

 _This one's just silly. I like silly. It's also an ode to "Calvin and Hobbes". That's pretty much all I have to say about this one. Again, I know they got the Lost Revenge_ _ **after**_ _Mal and them left, but…I don't care. I wrote it all out not thinking about that. And again, I didn't feel like changing it. So, again, "Nyah!"_

 _Hope you enjoyed it. Love you guys!_


	6. Trailblazing

_Sometimes, I just can't help myself._

 **6\. Trailblazing**

Harry looked like death warmed over. Worse, actually. Gil had to get him to Yen Sid as quick as possible, but a few lousy pirates from another crew were impeding their progress; adult pirates, no less. They were currently in Harry's quarters on the _Lost Revenge_ , trapped. They would have to fight their way out. Well… Gil would have to fight their way out; Harry was in no condition to be doing much of anything. It was all up to Gil now. Despite their desperate situation, they did have a small advantage over their current foes: the pistol Harry had snatched from his father's study some time ago was still loaded, although neither of them were sure if it was his starter pistol or not.

Gil hauled the pirate to his feet, holding him up right by the waist; Harry kept his hand on his friend's shoulder for stability. With this illness plaguing him, Harry was even more off-kilter than usual. Gil had to be the smart one now; getting out of this was going to be tricky.

"Whatever happens, don't let go until I say," Gil said to him.

"Of course, my lover," Harry snickered, a stupid grin on his face.

Gil rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot, Hook."

Harry's grin grew wider as he cocked his head to the side, ever so slightly, whispering in Gil's ear, and sounding more drunk than seriously ill, "ye know, anyone who sees this from my backside might think we're making out." He drawled out the last few words.

"Exactly," the blond replied.

The pirate smiled maniacally. "Gil…? There somethin' yer tryin' tae tell me?"

Gil smirked. "You wish."

Harry was about to say something when Gil hashed him. His ear twitched at the sound of footsteps heading towards them. The pirate's head suddenly dropped onto his shoulder.

"Ah cannae stan' up much longer," Harry said quietly, his warm, but stuttering breath falling softly on Gil's neck.

"I got you. Don't worry."

Harry wheezed with his next breath. "Don't leave me." The pirate knew very well that he was slowing Gil down. If it wasn't for him, the blond would have already been out of here.

Gil felt the other young man's hot tears splash onto his neck. "We're gettin' outa here together. _I promise_. I won't leave you."

Their enemy was at the door. He could hear their heavy breathing above Harry's. "They're here."

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," one of them sang in an annoyingly high-pitched voice. He really hated it when pirates – or anyone, for that matter – did that.

"Don't move till I tell you. Savvy?"

Even in his stupor, Harry still managed a grin. "Aye… Captain."

Just as the pirates on the other side kicked in the door, Gil deliberately turned his head into Harry's face, effectively making it look as of the young pirate was attacked in his neck.

"Well, well, well," the smaller of the two pirates said. "Looks like we interrupted two young lovers."

Gil smiled, almost sadistically, as he discreetly reached for the pistol tucked in Harry's belt.

"What're ye doin'?" Harry asked quietly, a slight slur in his voice that only Gil and Uma would notice.

"You'll see," he whispered back, pulling the pistol in between the two of them. "Get ready."

Gil turned to face the intruders. "You have five seconds to get outa here."

The two men chuckled. "Bein' threatened by a bairn," the taller one drawled. "What ye gonna do, little boy?"

This time, Gil did manage a sadistic smile, one that would make both Uma and Harry proud. "This."

In a single, swift motion, Harry turned away from Gil and the two men in front of them from themselves staring down the barrel of a gun. They stared at the young blond in stunned silence.

"You ain't got the guts, boy."

Gil's eyes narrowed. "You think so?" He cocked the pistol.

Both older pirate snarled and started moving towards them, swords drawn. Gil's eyes grew darker and his expression turned cold. He waited, still as a statue, giving them the opportunity to change their minds. But they continued to inch closer.

"You still have time to turn and run," Gil said, the light tone of his voice not matching the hellish look that manifested in his eyes. But the Pirates would not stop their advance. A low growl escaped Gil's throat. "Bad form."

Gil's movements made Harry's head spin. The blond let go of him, reaching behind himself and pulling out another pistol Harry hadn't noticed before. The advancing men stopped dead in their tracks. Gil wasn't intending on using the pistols, considering that he wasn't sure if either of them would actually work properly. And killing anyone in order for him and Harry to get out alive was going to be a last resort. Something he hoped he wouldn't have to, well, resort to.

He was suddenly struck with an idea. Before the two older pirates had barged their way in, Gil had noticed two very distinct features about Harry's cabin. Attached to the ceiling's central crossbeam was one of a pair of shields, he and Harry had confiscated from Hades. Thin ropes lined the wall, running up to the beam. Cut any of those ropes and the shield comes swinging downward, knocking out whoever happened to be in its way. Leave it to Harry to use his half of the pair as part of a trap.

The other distinct feature of Harry's cabin didn't actually belong in the young pirate's room. It belonged in his. The second shield leaned lazily against Harry's wardrobe. With a little skill and luck, Gil could easily use it against the two intruders. If his father had taught him anything worth remembering it was how to use nearly any object as a weapon. And a few sleight-of-hand tricks. Now was the time to see just how well those lessons sunk in.

Gil smirked, his eyes trailing towards the ropes on the wall, hoping the idiot pirates would follow his gaze. They did. _Morons_.

Poor, ill Harry's brain was already swimming, but watching his friend's swift and precise movements made him nauseous. _The pirates never knew what hit them_. It was as if Gil had been practicing for this very moment for years. The blond's motions were fast and fluid, exchanging the pistol he held in his left hand for the dagger on his belt, throwing it at one of the ropes, cutting it, and sending Harry's shield swinging into the back of the taller intruder's head; knocking him out cold. Without taking so much as a breath, Gil picked up his shield with his foot and kicked it at the second pirate, using a rather effective technique he learned by observing Jay's footwork with crates and other objects. The pirate didn't have a chance; he was out cold in a matter of seconds.

Gil stuck the pistol he still held into his belt and turned back to Harry who was beginning to slide down the wall. "I gotcha," he said, hauling the junior Hook back to his feet.

"That was impressive," Harry slurred, as Gil dragged him out of the cabin.

"Just blazin' new trails," the blond said. "Let's get you ta Yen Sid."

 **xJollyRogerx**

 _This was intended to be a part of either 'Heart of Auradon' or 'Silver Tide' to explain how Harry and Gil made it to Auradon. Since I'm still unsure if I'm going to use it, I decided to stick it here. Mainly, because I like how it turned out. And it gives you better insight into my sense of humor. I probably could've turned this into a one-shot if I added a bit more. Oh, well._

 _(Just so you know, I personally don't write LGBT-themed stories (that sentence sounds weird the way I stated it. Meh, whatever). If you're looking for that I recommend checking out XxVallirenxX and xxXTheySayI'mEvilXxx. Yes, it's a shameless plug, sort of. Hey, I can promote whichever authors I want to. What? Don't judge me. "Nyah!" (I've had too much coffee.) Anyway….)_

 _Hope you enjoyed it, my lovelies._

 _Love you guys. Until next time._


	7. Do You Believe in Miracles?

_**Just a little Christmas special.**_

7\. Do You Believe in Miracles?

Uma didn't _hate_ Christmas, but she didn't necessarily _like_ it, either. Even so, she muddled through it for Gil's sake – and to a small extent, Harry's. Gil loved Christmas and how he was able to drag Harry into the merriment without the pirate complaining or cursing (in his weird pirate version that no one but he and Gil – and possibly Harry's own family – understood) was beyond her. She knew he remembered that day; that Christmas Day, now two years ago, when he almost died because of her. They never spoke of that Christmas, not even to each other; at least, not with words. Gil often acted as if nothing had ever happened, but she knew her actions had cut him deeply. He had told her not long after the "incident" that he forgiven her. They were villains after all; getting what they wanted was their priority, not caring about who they hurt to get it. She didn't say anything in return to the "villains" comment, although the thought, "if you're going to use that reasoning then you shouldn't forgive me" had entered her mind. Harry knew what she was thinking; but like her, he knew it was best not to say anything to Gil. Besides, the blond will forgive her, anyway.

The boys, all the boys, were entertaining themselves by tossing popcorn in the air and attempting to catch it in their mouths – often failing. The girls were mildly amused, and the remaining customers ignored them. A small smile crossed her lips as she watched them for a moment; a smile aimed mostly at Gil. Despite Beastie Boy's bringing more kids to Auradon, they were still stuck on the Isle. _But they were not kids anymore_. Things had gotten better on the island, however. The _Lost Revenge_ even received an overhaul, making her seaworthy once again. It was something, at least.

Soon after she had made it back to the Isle following the botched attempt to bring down the barrier, the three of them and the rest of the crew made a pact that if – by some miracle – any of them received an invitation to Auradon, they wouldn't accept. It was all or none. A few months after the "incident," Gil received an invitation; but keeping with the pact, he refused. Even without their pact, he still would have refused. She and Harry knew that. The youngest son of Gaston was as loyal as they could possibly come. He put those of Bore-a-don fools to shame. Gil was a burning flame of life and loyalty nearly extinguished because of her own desperate desires.

 _Where they had come from the trio could not figure out. Their ship had mysteriously appeared in Isle waters just days earlier; the pirate – Harry used the term loosely – ship and crew seemingly materializing out of thin air. It had to be magic. It was the only explanation._ But what kind of magic?

 _Gil knew there was something off about them, but like so much of the time, no one listened to him. Regardless, he decided to do a little research before Harry or Uma did something incredibly stupid. There was also something awfully familiar about those pirates and their ship; mainly, the captain. By the time he realized who it was, however, it was too late._

 _Uma had been made an offer she couldn't refuse, one too good to be true. She should have realized that before everything had escalated to where they were now. When Gil had spoken there "guest's" name, she should have backed down, turned away. The man was worse than Davy Jones, the cursed, tentacle-faced pirate that made her skin crawl. It was the "Flying Dutchman" himself: Captain Hendrick van der Decken, who had challenged God Almighty with a blasphemous oath and was cursed to sail the seven seas for eternity._

 _Now he and a few of his men were aboard the Lost Revenge. And Decken was now offering her the one thing she desired most. She accepted without thinking, without considering that it could come at a great price. It was made worse when Decken finished his proposal. There were choices to be made, tests to undergo. Or so the Dutchman said. When he had first said it none of the three knew what he had meant. But now…._

 _A malicious grin crossed his lips as he watched Uma's expression change from one of indifference to one of horror. Her "boys," as Decken chose to call them, were at the mercy of his men._

 _"So, Sea-witch," he said smoothly. "What will it be?" He motioned for two of his men to bring Harry closer to them. "I think he'd look better with the hook_ attached _to his wrist. What do you think?"_

 _Uma screamed "no" in her head as she watched Decken's men drag her first mate to the portside, slamming his arm onto the railing, but not a word was uttered. Harry's fear-filled eyes darted between his own pinned arm, a struggling Gil… And Uma._

 _"If you don't think so," Decken continued, "I'll tell him to back off. But of course, if you do, you'll lose part of the deal. How far are you willing to go to get what you want?"_

Come on, Uma, _Gil pleaded with his eyes._ Tell him to stop.

 _Harry began a violent, yet futile, struggle with the two burly men holding him. The one holding a cutlass turned to Decken. "Captain?"_

 _The Dutchman looked at Uma. "It's your choice, Sea-witch." He gave her a disgustingly pleasant grin. "Or perhaps," he glanced at Gil, "someone else will."_

Uma set the tray down in front of a customer and quickly turned back to the boys. Gil was being as goofy as ever. She couldn't help smiling, until her eye caught sight of Gil's left-hand. He wore a permanent reminder of what he had done for Harry, and what she had failed to do.

" _Stop," Gil shouted, causing the man with the cutlass to pause and Decken to grin at Uma. "Let him go. Take me."_ I'm not valuable enough.

 _Cutlass man looked over at the Dutchman. "Captain?"_

 _Decken gave Uma a more sinister smile. "Well, now. Sacrificing oneself for another. Breathes loyalty. Or stupidity." He turned back to Cutlass man. "Switch them."_

 _Cutlass man hauled Harry to his feet and pushed him into the other man that had been holding him down. "Ruup! Bring the blond one over here," Cutlass man shouted._

 _Gil glanced at Uma as Ruup pushed him over to Cutlass man. The blond glared at him as Ruup shoved him to his knees and held his arm down on the railing._

 _"The same, Captain?" Cutlass man asked._

 _"No," Decken replied shortly. "I have something better in mind." He looked at Uma with the most vicious expression she'd ever seen._

 _Gil's eyes widened in horror. He knew exactly what the Dutchman had in mind. 'Please, don't make her decide.'_

 _The same expression appeared on Harry's face. "Don't make her decide. She'll never forgive herself." As soft as his voice was, somehow Decken still heard him._

 _"That would be the point, boy," the Dutch captain retorted, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He leaned down until his face was in Uma's. "Now, Sea=witch. What will it be? The whole hand? A few fingers?"_

 _Uma was frozen. "Now either you decide and make it easier on him or I decide and make a hard on you both." She mumbled under her breath, not wanting Gil or Harry to hear. "A trifle louder, please." She repeated her words, just loud enough for Decken to hear. "Very well, then." He turned to face Cutlass man. "Mister Aling."_

 _"Aye, Captain?"_

 _"Remove Mister LeGume's smallest finger to the first joint and ring finger to the second joint."_

 _"Aye, Captain." Aling turned to Gil, cutlass raised just above the blond's hand, a deadpan expression on his face._

 _Gil was equally as stone=faced. He took a deep breath, and watched as the cutlass came down on his fingers. Blood pooled onto the railing, the amputated pieces of fingers falling off into the water; but Gil didn't make a sound. Yanked onto his feet, he was quickly thrust back into Ruup, blood continuing to pour from his injured hand. He didn't notice the tears beginning to fall down his captain's cheeks, until Ruup hauled him back into his original spot. When he looked into her eyes, he mouthed the words, "it's okay."_

 _"For the last part of our deal." Decken circled her. He could feel the fear emanating from her. How sweet it was. "It's my choice this time. I think…" He leaned down once again, his face next to hers, "if you truly desire to gain what your mother lost," he looked towards Gil, "you will make the sacrifice."_

 _Harry struggled for release, but his captor's grip was too strong. His gaze drifted between his captain and second mate, his friends. There was fear in their eyes. It was Gil's life or power. They had known each other too long for that to be a difficult decision, but Uma wasn't saying a word, not making a move. Decken had to have some kind of power over her. There was no way she would let their family member die; not Gil. He couldn't understand why she was just standing there._

 _As Ruup wrapped his arm around Gil's throat, Harry shouted, "Uma."_

 _He would do anything for, anything to make her happy. Even give his own life. But Gil wasn't so sure he was willing to die like this. Would Uma really sacrifice his life for her own gain? His eyes locked with hers. Did she really care about him? He felt Ruup's arm tighten around his throat._

 _Struggling for air, tears beginning to form in his eyes, he breathed, "Uma…?"_

 _She could see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes. There shouldn't be any hesitation. Regaining her mother's powers wasn't worth Gil's life. But why was it so difficult to refuse? She couldn't take her eyes off him. As Ruup tightened his grip around Gil's throat, the blond reached up, futilely grabbing at the man's arm, his bloody hand unable to keep a grasp. She could barely hear him – if he actually did say anything – she swore she heard him call to her again, pained, "Uma…. Please…."_

 _A clatter broke through the silence that engulfed the deck of the Lost Revenge. The shell necklace, resembling her mother's, lay next to her feet. The Flying Dutchman's offer, willingly turned down. Tears streamed down her cheeks._

 _Decken cackled, retrieving the necklace. "Let him go," he said to Ruup._

 _As the burly man released Gil; he dropped to the ship's deck like a sack of potatoes. There was no movement from the blond. She ran to him as Harry was released. The son of Hook watched in anger as Decken and his men made their ghastly retreat, shouting obscenities at them._

 _"Gil," Uma cried out, kneeling beside him and rolling him onto his back. Harry was quickly by her side._

 _"Gil? Gilly?" He began shaking him. "Come on, Gil."_

 _Uma leaned her ear to his mouth. Nothing. His chest was terribly still. There was no rise and fall. Harry laid his head on Gil's chest. His heart was just as still._

 _"No, no, no…" He cried, beginning chest compressions. Tears streamed down his and Uma's cheeks. "Dinnae ye die on me!"_

 _"Come on, Gil. Don't you dare leave us," Uma sobbed._

 _Getting no response from his friend, his brother, Harry began pounding on the blond's chest, screaming at him. Uma's tears fell harder. Neither noticed the gathering of their crewmates._

 _Time escaped them. Harry had no idea how long he had been pounding on Gil; he was tiring quickly. Finally, he stopped. There was still no response from their second mate._

 _"No…" The junior Hook whispered, laying his head down on Gil stomach._

 _Uma's forehead now lay on Gil's, her tears splashing onto his pale, lifeless face. "I'm sorry, Gil. I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "This is all my fault."_

 _Harry lifted his head, noticing Gil's bloody had. He set up, pulling the red sash from his waist and as gently as he could, wrapped it around the blond's hand. It was pointless, but he did it, anyway. As he pulled the cloth taut, he swore he saw and felt Gil's hand move. But that was impossible. Gil was dead. He looked at Uma. His eyes widened; the blond's lips were moving._

 _A soft, gentle, "Uma," reached their ears._

 _"Gil?" She lifted her head, staring down at him._

 _His eyes slowly opened. "Did I miss Christmas?"_

 _Uma smiled, tears still falling. "No. You didn't miss it."_

 _"Hey, Harry." A small smile crossed his lips as the pirate wiped away his tears._

 _"Hey, Golden boy."_

 _Gil took a sharp breath. "My hand really hurts."_

Uma was shaken out of her thoughts, rather rudely, by someone picking her up and swinging her around. She was about to give the fool a nasty piece of her mind when she saw Harry laughing and realized it was Gil twirling in circles with her in his arms.

"Okay, okay," she shouted. "You can put me down."

"Sorry," he said cheekily, putting her down.

She looked up at him. He was grinning like an idiot.

"Come on, Uma," Harry said, draping his arm around her shoulders. "Join the festivities."

"Yeah… There's plenty of people to take care of the serving," Gil added. "Besides, your shift's up."

Uma furrowed her brow and looked up at the clock. Sure enough, her shift was in fact up. "Fine. I'll join the 'festivities.'"

"Good," the junior Hook reply shortly, yet gleefully, and returned to the crew.

Gil put his arms around her again, this time simply giving her a hug. "Thanks, shrimpy," he whispered, kissing her gently on the cheek.

She lightly jabbed him in the side, making him grin. "Go. I'll be over there in a minute." She couldn't help smiling. Although she tried hard not to, she had to admit that Gil was a walking miracle. He shouldn't be with them now. _But he was_.

Watching him walk back to the others, one more memory of that Christmas snaked its way into her consciousness. Shortly after his near-death experience, out of curiosity, she and Harry asked if he remembered anything about it. All he could remember, he told them, was hearing someone say the words, "fear not." He had no idea what that meant and let it go at that. Harry did as well, likely for Gil's sake; but she couldn't shake it off so quickly or easily. Eventually, as the days passed, she did let it go and all but forgot about it. Still…there was something odd about those words.

"Uma. Stop bein' slow," she heard Harry shout.

She shook her head and joined her crew. Gil was leading them, at least, trying to, in a Christmas carol – in French.

Harry grimaced. "Ah cannae un'erstan' a word yer sayin'!"

Uma laughed. Seeing her crew, especially Gil, happy, made her, well… happy. Maybe Christmas wasn't so bad after all.

 _ **Fin**_

Thanks for reading.

Merry Christmas

And remember

Be lovely to each other.

Love you, guys.

(I have another Christmas special coming up, but I probably won't get it up until after Christmas.)


	8. I'll Hook Ye

This is a little scene for a story I'll likely never get around to writing. (When I think of ideas/scenes I write them down, regardless if I'll ever use them.) I decided to put this here because I think it's funny (which says a lot about my sense of humor. Possibly). So, here you go.

 **8\. I'll Hook Ye**

Harry was about to resign himself to the fact that Gil was not going to budge. Well, technically… He hadn't budged in the last twenty minutes, no matter how hard the junior Hook tried to force him to move. Gil stood steadfast. Literally, stood. In place, arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face. For as happy-go-lucky and friendly as Gil was, he was as equally stubborn. _And possibly anchored to the floor. Or taken root._ He had already tried moving the blond from the front, placing his hands squarely on Gil's chest and pushing with all his might, which only resulted in Harry's feet slipping out from under him and falling flat on his face. He then tried the shoulder method. Both tries resulting in failure. He huffed and grumbled, and then went for a tackle. To anyone that would have happened to walk in, which no one did (Harry was thankful for that), it would have looked more like the pirate was hugging Gil around the waist rather than attempting to tackle him. Harry dropped to the floor, plopping down on his butt, his legs straight out in front of him, left arm folded across his chest, and tapping his temple with his right hand, contemplating a new strategy. Had he been wearing a bearskin like one of the Lost Boys, he would have resembled Winnie the Pooh.

Gil looked down at him. "You done thinkin', Pooh Bear?"

The pirate didn't reply, but simply got up and walked around the blond. Gil rolled his eyes, then sighed. Hook Junior was not about to give up; much to Gil's annoyance… and amusement. Harry stood behind him, staring at the back of his head.

"What're you doin'?" Gil said with a sigh.

Again, Harry didn't answer; but promptly began pushing Gil on his upper back, first with his hands, then with his right shoulder, then with his left.

"How is it," Harry puffed, "that I'm taller than ye…."

"Two inches," Gil threw in as the pirate took a breath and switched to pushing the blond with his own back.

"But ye still…."

"It has nothing to do with height, Harry," Gil interrupted. "I'm simply stronger than you."

"Yer more stubborn than me, is what ye are," Harry returned through gritted teeth.

"That, too." Gil's calm demeanor was almost as irritating as his refusal to move. Not to mention his incredible ability to not _be_ moved.

The entire scenario was borderline cartoonish and quite comical.

Harry finally gave up and just leaned against his friend, sighing. "Seriously, mate. How're ye doin' this?"

"I don't know," he replied flatly. "But somehow I am."

The junior Hook sighed. "Look, Gil. Yer goin' tae haftae talk tae them sooner or later. Preferably, sooner." He waited for the blond to respond. With not so much as a sound coming from the other teenager, he decided to continue. "They're yer family."

"You and Uma and your sisters are my family. Our crew is my family," Gil finally said. "Not them." His scowl faded into a poker face. "They didn't even bother to look for me."

"They did look fer ye."

"In Auradon. It really never occurred to them to search the Isle? Anyone could've hid on one of the barges." Gil's tone was pained.

"I understand what yer sayin', but ye got tae remember, they were grievin' fer their son that was stolen, grievin' fer you."

Gil didn't speak; but Harry, still leaning against him, felt him heave a heavy sigh. "They love ye, Gil. Even if ye grew up on the Isle, yer still their son, they're still yer parents."

"I always believed I knew who I was. Didn't matter how I was treated. Didn't matter how I felt. Now I'm not so sure."

"Aye, well, I know who ye are. Yer Gil. My friend, my brother. Someone I've known since I started walkin'. An know better than those that pretended tae be yer own flesh and blood." Harry sighed, scowled and said softly, "definitely know ye better than yer actual flesh and blood."

A smirk crept across Gil's face. "Are you goin' soft on me, Hook?"

The pirate gave a half smile and sighed. "Come on, mate. Ye need tae talk tae them." He felt Gil huff and then sigh.

"All right. I'll go talk to them."

"Good," Harry replied, straightening his stance and walking around the blond. "Shall we?" As Gil took a step forward, the pirate raised his hook. "One word about me goin' soft… An ah'll hook ye."

Gil flashed a genuine smile. "Of course, you will." He walked past, gently pushing Harry's hook away, to the door. "Cabin boy."

The junior Hook grimaced. Oh, how he loathed that nickname.

 _ **Fin**_

There was a lot of sighing in this.

Me speaking: junior Hook

Dragon typing: junior hug

I will now be referring to Harry as "Junior Hug."

Uma's showdown with the double-sided sticky tape is coming soon. I promise.

And remember,

Be lovely to each other


End file.
